Thinking of Converting to Catholicism

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

aspen

“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
Apr 25, 2012
14,111
4,778
113
53
West Coast
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I feel for you that you cannot know or see the difference between the Anglican Churches Teaching and that of the Roman Catholic Church.

What are you feeling? I think Templar is looking for a difference - that is why he is considering joining the Catholic Church.

Personally having to follow all the traditions and observe all the religious rituals were nothing but a bondage. Just like the Circumcision group did to the gentiles.

Really? I am finding them to be extremely freeing.


Christian Denomination that values the observance of it's own religious teachings and Church traditions over the Gospel of Salvation.

According to whom?

However I see your problem is that you enjoy thye pomp and ceremony of what I call High Church. So maybe Bible teaching isn't your priority.

So liking the liturgy and studying the Bible are mutually exclusive?

Of course there is the Holy Water. Where would my family be without our Holy Water? They don't have a clue what the Holy Water is but they have to go to Church on the special feast days that the Holy Water is permissible to be given to the congregation members to take home.

Sounds like your family has no clue about the richness of their Christian faith - perhaps you had the same experience?

Several of my illiterate family finally heard the full story of Jesus from Birth to Death.

Wow - I guess they never prayed a Rosary before

There are many who can read and write in the Eastern Orthodox Churches today but they are not being taught the Bible as they should instead they are being taught folk tales and religious inspirational stories about Saints. My Catholic family go to Bible Study and they too rarely get any teaching from the Bible instead they read all sorts of religious books that embrace all faiths not just the Christian Faith.

Hmm....I've heard more scripture read in the RCC church then I ever did as a Protestant. Attending daily Mass for 3 years and you hear the entire Bible - not just the pastor's favorites.

Fortunately if you have repented and received Christ as Lord and Savior, Jesus made a promise to all who would receive Him.

So if that is all it takes to be a Christian - who cares about the differences between the Catholic church and Protestantism?


 

Amazing Grace

New Member
Mar 21, 2011
110
6
0
Like it or lump it that was my 2 cents worth Aspen. I have been in both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox and a number of Protestant Churches. Some were good and most were bad. I like to point people to their Bible because that is the only place you can rely on getting God's Truth. If you don't like that then too bad.

You can't get salvation through religion and rituals I have seen that up close. Not to mention Jesus had this to say about the Pharisees and I can easily apply it to many from the Catholic and Orthodox Churches I have attended.

MT 23:8 "But you are not to be called `Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth `father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called `teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

MT 23:13 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.

MT 23:15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

MT 23:16 "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, `If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, `If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.' 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.

MT 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

MT 23:25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

MT 23:27 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

MT 23:29 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, `If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!

MT 23:33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.

Religious traditions do not save only the Gospel Saves.

So if you have not repented and received Christ you may want to think about getting into the Bible. Don't just take anybody's word for it go read it for yourself.
 

aspen

“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
Apr 25, 2012
14,111
4,778
113
53
West Coast
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Like it or lump it that was my 2 cents worth Aspen. I have been in both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox and a number of Protestant Churches. Some were good and most were bad. I like to point people to their Bible because that is the only place you can rely on getting God's Truth. If you don't like that then too bad.

You can't get salvation through religion and rituals I have seen that up close. Not to mention Jesus had this to say about the Pharisees and I can easily apply it to many from the Catholic and Orthodox Churches I have attended.



Religious traditions do not save only the Gospel Saves.

So if you have not repented and received Christ you may want to think about getting into the Bible. Don't just take anybody's word for it go read it for yourself.

I was a Christian who attended Protestant Churches before realizing what I was missing in the Catholic Church. Perhaps we simply had different experiences that led us to Christ rather than one tradition being wrong simply because it didn't work for you?

The Pharisees were theologically correct; their problem was that they were more interested in the doctrine than the people. The doctrine was set down for the people - people were not made for the doctrine. Thanks for thinking about my salvation - I met Jesus long ago and have been serving Him ever since. I am much more interested in serving Him through loving my neighbor and loving God through the Mass and spreading His love in the world.

So as far as your post goes, since you gave me a choice, I guess I choose to lump it. Both of our posts are simply our opinions anyway and I think they reflect an honest account of our experiences.
 

Amazing Grace

New Member
Mar 21, 2011
110
6
0
I was a Christian who attended Protestant Churches before realizing what I was missing in the Catholic Church. Perhaps we simply had different experiences that led us to Christ rather than one tradition being wrong simply because it didn't work for you?

The Pharisees were theologically correct; their problem was that they were more interested in the doctrine than the people. The doctrine was set down for the people - people were not made for the doctrine. Thanks for thinking about my salvation - I met Jesus long ago and have been serving Him ever since. I am much more interested in serving Him through loving my neighbor and loving God through the Mass and spreading His love in the world.

So as far as your post goes, since you gave me a choice, I guess I choose to lump it. Both of our posts are simply our opinions anyway and I think they reflect an honest account of our experiences.

Exactly right they are my experience and opinion.

However the Word of God or the Bible is Truth and it is God's Truth and that is important regardless to which denomination you belong.

However there is one thing that all Christians must agree upon and that is what Jesus said about Himself.

JN 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."


I never judge anothers salvation because that is not my place. If someone says they are of Christ then they are a brother or sister.

1PE 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,

"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,

1PE 1:25 but the word of the Lord stands forever."

And this is the word that was preached to you.
 

aspen

“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
Apr 25, 2012
14,111
4,778
113
53
West Coast
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Exactly right they are my experience and opinion.

However the Word of God or the Bible is Truth and it is God's Truth and that is important regardless to which denomination you belong.

However there is one thing that all Christians must agree upon and that is what Jesus said about Himself.




I never judge anothers salvation because that is not my place. If someone says they are of Christ then they are a brother or sister.

Yeah, I think that Jesus is the bottomline.
 

John Zain

Newbie trainee
Sep 16, 2010
750
32
0
San Diego, CA
I like to point people to their Bible ... because that is the only place you can rely on getting God's Truth.
You can't get salvation through religion and rituals ... I have seen that up close.
Religious traditions do not save ... only the Gospel Saves.
So if you have not repented and received Christ ... you may want to think about getting into the Bible.
Don't just take anybody's word for it ... go read it for yourself.
I'd like to offer a most hearty "AMEN" to all of the above. Good job, AG.
 

lawrance

New Member
Mar 30, 2011
738
19
0
All the Churches are falling within i think it's because of the worldly influenced mainly political correctness pushed so much now.
I do ask people, does their Church preach about hell, only to happily tolled that they do not as it's politically incorrect to do so anymore with a big smile and a welcome.
The Catholic Church is rotting from within as well and most of the fools reject the popes true position, boy how dumb are they. and they are just running around spinning on about namby Pamby non offending positions as to be seen themselves as being nice and cuddly.
I have never heard of a cute cuddly Saint before saying just nice things that fools like to hear.
 

Templar81

New Member
Apr 14, 2010
854
17
0
UK
My Parish priest is in the USA right now, visiting a twinned Parish in Northwest Virginia. He's been there since before I startd this thread. When he gets back I will be very frank that I am not happy with things in both this Parisha nd the C0fE. I think one day i will definately turn Catholic but I'm not quite ready to do that yet but I am still going to go ahead with the RCIA.
 

aspen

“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
Apr 25, 2012
14,111
4,778
113
53
West Coast
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
My Parish priest is in the USA right now, visiting a twinned Parish in Northwest Virginia. He's been there since before I startd this thread. When he gets back I will be very frank that I am not happy with things in both this Parisha nd the C0fE. I think one day i will definately turn Catholic but I'm not quite ready to do that yet but I am still going to go ahead with the RCIA.

Let me know if I can help with anything.
 

John Zain

Newbie trainee
Sep 16, 2010
750
32
0
San Diego, CA
Templar81,

Why don't you answer this
simplest of all questions?

Why would someone join a "Christian" church which obviously teaches doctrine
that is opposed to what the Bible teaches?
(I.E. Are you interested in "man's doctrine" or Bible doctrine?)

 

Templar81

New Member
Apr 14, 2010
854
17
0
UK
Bible is man's because it was written by man. The Bible as I see it is god's revelation to man but written according to man's experiecne and didn't just float down from heaven.

Catholicism is totally Biblical. Think about it. Jesus said this is my body, this is my blood and Catholics and many Anglcians take that litterally to mean that the bread and wine actually becomes Christ's bodya nd blood but yet the Evangelicas who think they follow it so strictly deny this totally Biblical teaching and opt for a totally man made law.

I will rpeeat my position on scripture again; the Bible is not just God's work but man's as well. I like to call it aco9llaboration between God and man or joint authorship.
 

lawrance

New Member
Mar 30, 2011
738
19
0
Templar81,

Why don't you answer this
simplest of all questions?

Why would someone join a "Christian" church which obviously teaches doctrine
that is opposed to what the Bible teaches?
(I.E. Are you interested in "man's doctrine" or Bible doctrine?)



I have seen some people idolise the Bible and then runaround saying nonsence and just full on slander about true Catholic doctrines and they don't even bother to study into why it says what it does.
But will happily read or swallow the simple minded trash of like 'The gospel according to rome' by that filthy slander J McCarthy and i am not even a RC and i can see through his rubbish.
 

[email protected]

Choir Loft
Apr 2, 2009
1,635
127
63
West Central Florida
Faith
Other Faith
Country
United States
Bible is man's because it was written by man. The Bible as I see it is god's revelation to man but written according to man's experiecne and didn't just float down from heaven.

Catholicism is totally Biblical. Think about it. Jesus said this is my body, this is my blood and Catholics and many Anglcians take that litterally to mean that the bread and wine actually becomes Christ's bodya nd blood but yet the Evangelicas who think they follow it so strictly deny this totally Biblical teaching and opt for a totally man made law.

I will rpeeat my position on scripture again; the Bible is not just God's work but man's as well. I like to call it aco9llaboration between God and man or joint authorship.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Tim 3:16 & 17

Your are in error, sir.

When you state that "the Bible is not just God's work but man's as well...joint authorship" you are entering a place of spiritual deception. The term 'joint authorship' suggests that human error enters into the words written in scripture. By logical extension it also suggests that we of the modern age, by virtue of our enhanced morality, logic and wisdom are more worthy to interpret it's original intent.

Nothing could be furhter from the truth.

In fact, current events and trends suggest that if anything we are LESS able to interpret scripture than our fathers were. Apostacy plagues the church, immorality of every sort walks the land. Hatred of God permeates every facet of society. I can go on and on, but I think you get my point here. Modern man does not have license to interpret scripture in any other way than that in which it was given, as inspiration of God.

The Bible says that a man may be judged by his fruits or that which he does. The Bible may also be judged by its own standard. Throughout history it has pointed the way to God, the fallibility of man, and inspired good works, kindness and positive values for society. Such things cannot be said for other religious works.

If you wish to join the Roman Catholic church, then you should do yourself a favor and be thoroughly catechized. See a priest and learn Christian ways. You need to learn and learn well the lessons of the faith.

The precepts of Christ are not mere suggestions, they are a map and a road to life and the light of God.
 

Templar81

New Member
Apr 14, 2010
854
17
0
UK
[email protected]
Are you idolising scripture?
Do you woship God or do you worship the Bible? Because nowhere in the Bible does it say to follow the Bible. Nowhere in the Bible is there a stamp that say's "tHIS IS 100% THE WORD OF gOD AND IS TO BE OBEYED TO THE LETTER WITHOUT QUESTION ON PAIN OF ETERNAL DAMNATION." So it strikes me that the tradition of taking scriputure litterally is a a tradition and is man-made.

The Catholic Church on the other ahnd was created by Jesus when he said to Peter, "Thou are the rock and on this rock I build my church, gainst which the gates of Hell shall not prevail and whatsoever be bound on Earth will be bound in heaven and whatsoever be loosed on Earth will be loosed in Heaven. At that point Peter was made the chief apostle and charged with the leadership of the church millitant.

Obviosuly I will be fully catechised. You can't be confirmed Catholic if your not. What do you think the RCIA is? I won't jsut be there for the tea and buiscuits (cokies) you know.
 

Robbie

New Member
Jan 4, 2011
1,125
59
0
Huntington Beeach
I don't understand why it takes converting? Can't you just go hang at a different church with some different people who love Jesus? none of the denomination stuff makes sense to me... even the non-denomination stuff... since that just seems to me like another denomination as well... I prefer to just see people and Jesus... keeps it simple and free from division... but that's just how I do it...
 

Templar81

New Member
Apr 14, 2010
854
17
0
UK
That's a good way to think.

Where I live we join together for services. I'm really keen on Ecumenism and that's why I like to use this site.
 

Robbie

New Member
Jan 4, 2011
1,125
59
0
Huntington Beeach
nice... yeah... I've found one of the worst causes of divisions is when we start to see groups of people as "THEM" instead of as individuals... and my experience is there's individuals within every denomination who love Jesus... I've found the easiest way to find unity is just to keep it as close to Him as possible... it seems to me men always tend to want us to divide... where Christ wanted us to realize we're One... not only with each other... but with Him and the Father...
 

rockytopva

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Dec 31, 2010
5,193
2,395
113
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. http://www.youtube.c...=1&feature=fvwp


As an individual I can't go through the new system that Pope Benedict has approved. If I decide to do it I would be converting on my own.

The RCIA will allow me to make an informed choice but perhaps I will try another Anglican Parish before I decide to elave.

Templar... The Royal Wedding was very well done. I commend all the ministers there! I enjoyed the message at 31:30 by the Rev. Richard Chartres.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53UaRWI1Vh4